


Nighttime Reading: An Epilogue

by G_the_G



Series: Avengers University [23]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 02:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14559186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/G_the_G/pseuds/G_the_G
Summary: Darcy wakes up to see a beardy Professor Rogers in all his glory. She can't help herself.





	Nighttime Reading: An Epilogue

**Author's Note:**

> And here are my friends. Full circle. We have returned to the visual of infamy. The moment that started it all. 
> 
>  

With a sudden inhale, Darcy opened her eyes and rolled over in bed. She lay there disoriented for a bit, staring at the ceiling as she tried to clear the fog her weird dream had caused. It had been light out when she’d laid down for what she told herself would only be a catnap. But apparently too many late nights in the library that week had taken their toll. It was now dark outside and the windows were open to let the early fall air in, the only light in the room coming from the bedside lamp Steve had turned on. She groaned tiredly. There went any semblance of a sleep schedule she’d claimed to have. 

Telling herself to leave recriminations for later, she looked over to see what Steve was up to on the other side of the bed. She'd all but moved in with him over the last couple months, and she was pretty sure that when her lease was up in a month, it would finally be official. So it wasn't out of the ordinary for him to be there close by, hanging out with his disgustingly morning-person ways when she fell asleep at odd hours. And she was grateful for his closeness, especially as she tried the shake the last of that dream from her memory.

But when she looked over, her mouth went dry and she felt a full-body clench that had nothing to do with stressful dreams. Maybe it was because she’d been asleep, or it was just so stupidly domestic and comforting, or just because Steve was stupidly attractive, but there was something about seeing him there next to her, back lit as he lounged reading, the thick glasses he'd been wearing while waiting for contacts to arrive and replace the ones Claude had chewed up were in place, and he scratched at the beard he’d recently trimmed. All together it made parts of Darcy realize she no longer felt any guilt over the fact that she wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep after her extended nap. She now had much better plans to pass the time.

With a smile that was only half sleepy, she rolled over to tuck her nose against the outside of his shoulder, nuzzling into the soft fabric of his shirt and muscle underneath.

“I didn’t wake you did I?”

She snuggled closer, nuzzling more as she shook her head. “Nope. Weird dream.”

He reached over with his free hand to run his fingers through her hair, gently scratching at her scalp. “Yeah?”

She tilted her head into his touch with a happy sigh, forever happy she'd found someone just as tactile as her. “Yeah. For some reason I was stuck in New Mexico and this huge metal alien robot was attacking.”

“That's  _really_  weird.”

“Tell me about it.” She shifted to rest her chin on top of his shoulder. And certain plans became clearer as she woke fully, so she gave him an innocent smile. One he hadn't caught onto yet. “What are you reading? Anything fun?”

He looked down at the book in his hand. “Uh, unless you find carbon dating of oil paintings fun, not really?”

She hummed and shifted to roll her hips closer, tossing one leg over his. “You'll have to work on that.”

She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest where she’d placed her hand for purchase.

“Oh really?”

Darcy levered herself up to smile into his face, now resting her chin on the closest pec, trapping his arm that held the book half underneath her. “Yeah. I like this look. It would be even better if you read to me.”

He chuckled. “Let’s test that theory,” he said. And despite the fact that he couldn’t read through her blocking the pages, he shifted as if to hold the book up and read from it. “It is a truth universally acknowledged.”

She snorted, pulling herself farther up his body to run her nose along his neck, placing small kisses that had him tilting his chin up to make it easier for her to reach. 

"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”

His breath had hitched between those two sentences, and she hummed, ignoring how his beard tickled her skin as she zeroed in on the spot right by his ear that always made him still as his heart sped up.

"Call me Ishmael."

She shifted her weight onto him, continuing to gently work her way closer to those lips she wasn't sure she'd ever get enough of, while she let her hand on his chest begin to trace the lines of his collar bone, then down the line between his pecs, then along his abs. 

“I’m all out of lines.” His voice was definitely more gravelly, but he still hadn’t moved other than to encourage her perusal of his neck. “I definitely have to get better reading material if this is the effect it has.”

“Mmhmm.” She sat up, pleased grin in place as she gently pulled off his glasses and leaned over him to set them on the nightstand. He dropped the book in his lap, shifting so both arms were free and before she'd leaned back, he'd grabbed her around the waist, pulling her closer and holding her firmly to his chest. Darcy was all for that and practically purred in appreciation, especially when he pulled her up his body and anchored her to him, one hand on her hip and the other on her jaw tilting her head so he could start making his own exploration of her neck with those very dangerous lips of his.

"Feeling better about the dream?" he asked against her skin.

"Only if you keep doing what you're doing."

And he did just that. And more.

Some time later, the book soon slid to the floor with a muted thud as it hit the carpet. But both were too busy to notice.

**Author's Note:**

> My friends. This has been a fun ride. Thanks for joining me! I now have all these random headcanons and cracky moments where everyone continues to meet everyone and it's the most interconnected social/academic circle EVER. Also, my brain decided to start cooking up the entire Tony grows up plot to fit in this universe?
> 
> Anywho, if you liked it, if you had fun, if you just want to generally scream at me, I'm [over on tumbr](http://awww-brain-no.tumblr.com/) and am always happy to chat.


End file.
